French Equities Extend Losses

The CAC 40 Index went up by 20 points or 0.23 percent on Tuesday to close at 8517 points. The rise was led by Edenred (4.35%), Renault (1.97%) and Stellantis NV (1.95%). On the downside, the weakerst performers were BNP Paribas (-1.41%), Safran (-1.16%) and Credit Agricole (-1.15%).

The CAC 40 index rose 0.3% to close at a historic high of 8,519 on Tuesday, recovering as strong gains in luxury and staples balanced a persistent selloff in financials. L'Oréal climbed 1.5% after reporting record 2025 margins, while LVMH added 0.7% despite trade tensions. This resilience came even as the European Parliament froze the ratification of the July trade deal with the US following President Trump's shift to a 15% global tariff. Banking stocks remained under pressure as investors feared AI disruption to traditional infrastructure, with BNP Paribas falling 1.4%, Credit Agricole shedding 1.1%, and Societe Generale dropping 0.7%. Macroeconomic sentiment softened as France’s business climate index fell to 97 in February, missing forecasts and signaling a deterioration across services and industry. While Edenred surged 4.4% on earnings strength and Renault rose 1.8% on better margins, the index remains caught between robust corporate performance and escalating global tariff chaos.

The CAC 40 index fell 0.2% to around 8,480 on Tuesday, extending losses from the prior session, as investors remained cautious amid concerns over latest US tariff threats, while financials plunged, following a Wall Street overnight selloff. A new blanket tariff from US President Donald Trump, set to take effect this week, heightened uncertainties over last year’s trade deals, prompting the European Parliament to postpone a vote on the US-Europe agreement for a second time. Banking stocks led sector declines, driven by concerns that newer AI models could disrupt traditional business lines. BNP Paribas dropped 2.2%, while Societe Generale fell 1.7%. Adding to the cautious tone, data showed that France’s industrial outlook weakened slightly in February and came in below forecasts. Meanwhile, vouchers and benefit cards provider Edenred rose 1.4% on stronger-than-expected 2025 core earnings, while car parts supplier Forvia jumped 2.2% after projecting a 6–6.5% operating margin for 2026.